Wreath

My camera has been stuck inside all week due to illness (mine, not the camera's) and inclement weather. On Monday the temperature didn't rise above freezing at all, and then it rained the rest of the time (well, today it was snow flurries, but still cold). So, today was the first time I went out to see what was up in the backyard. The usual: Rain Gauge Spider is still hanging out under the rain gauge (out of which I emptied over 2.25 inches of rain today), the woolly bear caterpillar is still in the package bin, and move to a new spot in the bin every day, and the cricket is still alive and well under the board - but today when I looked under there no other critters went scurrying, so cricket might be all that's left. I didn't take pictures of those three stalwarts, and I didn't see any other bugs of any kind.

Just a tiny bit of snow, and some ice:

So why am I blogging if there are no bugs? Well, this blog isn't just about the bugs in the backyard, it's about the other interesting things in the backyard. And something else interesting showed up today.

Do you remember months ago, around midsummer, maybe, there was a tiny bird that was hanging out on the wreath on my front porch in the evenings, scaring the bejeebers out of anyone who came in or out of the door by bursting out of the wreath? Well, guess who's back?

 My conjecture during the summer was that it was there for the bugs that came to the porch light, but that is certainly not what it's doing there now! I hope it's not there huddling for warmth, because I don't think that's a very cozy spot. But then, I'm not a bird, so what do I know? And really, I don't even know if this is the same bird. As you can see, I didn't get the best look at it.

Tomorrow is the day we get out Christmas tree, which brings with it the possibility of new bugs in the house in a few days, when they are wakened from their hiding places in the tree and emerge into the warmth of my home. Where I will take their pictures and put them back outside.